Monterey Cinema vs Starlight Cinema:Which is more popular by branded search in New Zealand?
In August 2026, Monterey Cinema had more branded searches than Starlight Cinema among neighbourhood cinemas in New Zealand. Monterey Cinema was estimated to have 18.3K branded searches compared to Starlight Cinema’s 6.7K, and held a 33.3% Share of Search versus Starlight Cinema’s 12.1%.
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Which is more popular in search, Monterey Cinema or Starlight Cinema?
Compare the independent and boutique cinemas New Zealanders choose for a night at the movies. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.
Share of Search by month for Monterey Cinema, Starlight Cinema. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | Monterey Cinema | Bridgeway Cinemas | Embassy 3 Cinemas | Starlight Cinema | The Vic Devonport | Luxe Cinemas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 31.1% | 35.3% | 15.9% | 0.17% | 8.8% | 8.7% |
| Nov 2025 | 35.4% | 33.2% | 14.9% | 0.16% | 8.1% | 8.3% |
| Dec 2025 | 34.9% | 29% | 19.6% | 0.18% | 8.8% | 7.5% |
| Jan 2026 | 36.1% | 30.4% | 16.8% | 0.17% | 7.6% | 9% |
| Feb 2026 | 33.2% | 31% | 17.1% | 0.33% | 9.3% | 9% |
| Mar 2026 | 35.5% | 27.1% | 15% | 2.3% | 10% | 10.1% |
| Apr 2026 | 32.2% | 24.1% | 16.3% | 13.3% | 6% | 8.1% |
| May 2026 | 30.6% | 27% | 14.9% | 12.2% | 6.6% | 8.6% |
| Jun 2026 | 32.5% | 30.2% | 13.6% | 11.1% | 6.1% | 6.6% |
| Jul 2026 | 33.9% | 24.5% | 16.5% | 13.4% | 6% | 5.7% |
| Aug 2026 | 33.3% | 27% | 14.9% | 12.1% | 6.6% | 6.1% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
How has the Monterey Cinema and Starlight Cinema comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Monterey Cinema was ahead of Starlight Cinema in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Monterey Cinema’s estimated Share of Search among neighbourhood cinemas in New Zealand moved from 31.1% to 33.3%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 13K to 18.3K.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Starlight Cinema’s estimated Share of Search among neighbourhood cinemas in New Zealand moved from 0.17% to 12.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 70 to 6.7K.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand neighbourhood cinemas in August 2026?
2 changes
In August 2026, Starlight Cinema lost estimated Share of Search among neighbourhood cinemas in New Zealand, from 13.4% to 12.1%.
In August 2026, Monterey Cinema lost estimated Share of Search among neighbourhood cinemas in New Zealand, from 33.9% to 33.3%.
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Monterey Cinema’s and Starlight Cinema’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Monterey Cinema
7 branded search terms
- monterey cinema
- monterey cinema movies
- monterey cinema near me
- monterey cinema nz
- monterey cinema upper hutt
- monterey howick
- montereycinema
Starlight Cinema
5 branded search terms
- starlight cinema
- starlight cinema movies
- starlight cinema near me
- starlight cinema session times
- starlightcinema
Put your own brand in this comparison
Brandwave tracks your branded demand next to the rival you actually watch, with your campaigns, spend and outcomes on the same timeline.